True Grit

True Grit

            I’m not a fan of Western movies, but I did enjoy this film. The story line was about revenge, but there was a lot more that happened besides avenging her father’s death. The storyline was not great, but it had some substance and the other obstacles that arose throughout the film kept it interesting. My favorite part of the film was the acting. It wasn’t typical acting for a Western based movie; I think it was much better. When I think of Westerns, I expect the actors/actresses to act uneducated and primitive, but the young girl in the film was very crafty, smart, and witty.

            This film had an abundance of characters, which made it fun and interesting to watch. Mattie was a smart, intellectual young girl with a powerful driving force behind her. She was determined to do whatever was necessary to get vengeance. She was very articulate and she used her persuasive skills to get what she wanted. I did not expect this from her; I thought she would be an uneducated tom boy. Then there was Rooster Cogburn, the complete opposite of Mattie. He was a typical cowboy, in my opinion. Dirty, drunk, and uninterested in anything that did not benefit him personally. He came across cold and uncaring, but later in the film I was able to see that deep down he was a good man with good intentions. I did not trust him throughout the film, until the ending scenes when he redeemed himself and saved Mattie, despite his fear of snakes.

            The storyline was based around Mattie’s father’s death and her trying to find peace through the capture and killing of Tom Chaney. I don’t believe that revenge will help heal our pains, but I can imagine that in a time of little justice, I would perhaps pursue an evil man also. Mattie felt empowered after killing Tom and it helped her to move on with her life and start anew. The journey that Mattie took not only helped her, but it helped Cogburn too. He was a drunk, with no drive or future, living day to day. With Mattie’s help I think he rediscovered himself and his potential. He faced his fears and he created new relationships.

            I was somewhat disappointed with the end of the film. After Cogburn’s heroic actions, I wanted to see how he and Mattie continued their relationship. However, Cogburn left without saying goodbye. The end left me wondering why Cogburn would do such a thing after the hardships he and Mattie had faced together. I think he did it out of love for Mattie; he didn’t want her to feel obligated to repay him for his services. This action of leaving unpaid also gave me more respect for Cogburn because I thought he was souly in it for the money. I don’t know the real reasoning behind his actions, but I believe he had good intentions.

            This movie is not one of my favorites, but it was definitely worth watching. It gave me some insight into how different life was back then. It made me think about how lucky we are today and that I shouldn’t take things for granted. It also gave me insight into how justice has evolved over the years and how thankful I am that it has. I can’t imagine living in a time where justice was scarce and crime was high. Lastly, it gave me some hope that people aren’t always how they appear or how we perceive them to be. I know that it is wrong to judge a person by their outward appearance, but sometimes it is difficult to avoid doing so. This movie just reinforced that idea that you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Crash

Crash

                I liked this movie, but I found it to be offensive and very controversial. The beginning threw me off and was confusing, I think it was out of place and unnecessary to begin it that way. However, as the movie progressed I understood the beginning scene. The rest of the movie seemed to be unorganized and choppy, but I realized that was because this movie was about many different stories and how these people’s lives were intermingled through unexpected ways. I liked how real and raw this movie was, it portrayed how racism is really viewed and dealt with by different ethnicity's. There were many scenes that were offensive to different races, which made the movie real because racism is still a huge issue in the world today.

                The movie had a lot to do with personal biases that different ethnicity's have towards one another. It gave insight to how people treat one another differently because of the color of their skin, which is very sad, but unfortunately true. It proved that based on what we have been taught, how we have been raised, and what we have experienced affects how we act, respond, and react to different people. The film also stereotyped different races and what is “expected” of them by the majority group. It made stereotypes real and it also made them questionable. There were some things that were expected by a certain ethnicity, but in the film they broke the stereotype. On the other hand, there were things that were expected by a certain group and they were carried out by them. It was controversial because it gave a typical stereotype for a variety of ethnicity's, but stereotypes are not held by everyone of a particular group.

                The theme of this film was the struggle that all of the individuals were dealing with based on their ethnicity. Each person had a separate, individual struggle, but they were all united because everyone had to deal with some type of personal struggle due to their ethnical background. The main concern of the film was racism, but more specifically, it was biases and stereotyping. Each individual story was connected through each person’s beliefs about others. The film was very ambitious in looking at racism in the core of modern society. It allowed the viewer to see how others, different from themselves, view racism. The film was not afraid to show the truth behind racism and how it affects our daily lives. I think that this film took a huge risk, but the risk is what makes that movie so interesting.

                This film makes a huge social statement. It shows the truth behind racism, stereotyping, and personal biases. Each story within the film has a separate struggle, but at the core of each struggle is how people discriminate other ethnicities. The film communicates its point very well, through depicting different points of view. The film doesn’t show how just one group struggles with discrimination, but how all people have to deal with their own struggles within society. This film definitely made an impact in how I think and stereotype different racial groups. It tries to influence us into thinking differently and not being so close minded. The film tries to change how we think of other people and how we act towards them. The film attempts to interpret how life really is and it gave me a sense of how our actions and words really affect others. The film was very emotional because the stories within it were so real. It gave an array of emotions through different situations. I think that the whole film was emotional; there was no time within the film that lacked emotion.  

                Overall I really enjoyed this film. It allowed me to reflect on my own beliefs towards others. I was able to question myself and how I act towards different ethnical groups. I thought about my personal biases I have towards different races and I questioned myself to why I have them. The movie really made me think about what I truly believe. I think that everyone is racist on some level; I think it is normal for people to discriminate, but I don’t know exactly why I believe this. I think it has to do with how we are raised, what we see in the media, and our life experiences. I would recommend this film to everyone, it teaches about the affects of racial discrimination and it allows us to reflect on and question our own personal views and beliefs.

Titanic

Titanic

                I love this movie; it is probably one of my all time favorites. I love the storyline; it’s a love story that has all the elements. A high class female meets a low class man and the rest is history. The story has love, hate, discrimination, defying the odds, and tragedy. All of these elements work together to create an amazing story of two young adults who find love where they least expected it. This movie is a classic chick flick that makes me laugh and cry every time. I have seen this film many times, but I have never really analyzed it.

                The film incorporates flashbacks to tell the story. The beginning is present time, Rose is old and she has buried her past life into her memory and she doesn’t speak of it. During the present time, there is a group of men trying to find the heart of the ocean, which is a large blue diamond that Rose had previously owned. The main story of the film, about life on the Titanic, is a flashback of Rose’s memory, she is telling the story from her perspective, but the viewers see it from an outside view. This allows the viewers and the men searching for the diamond, to see what life was like on the unsinkable boat. This film was interesting because it was not only a story about Rose, but about the Titanic as a whole. It also allowed the viewers to see how the water had destroyed something that a one time was so beautiful.

                Rose’s story touched those that she had told. These men were searching for her diamond and they had spent a good portion of their lives trying to recover it. After Rose shared her story with these men, they had a different outlook on their operation. They realized that there are much more important things in life, then riches. Rose used her experiences to help others, she did not regret anything and she did not take anything for granted, and this type of outlook really touched these men.

                The acting in this film was amazing and so was the choice of casting. The characters had the whole package, from their appearance to their acting. Rose was high class; she had beautiful porcelain skin, which made it appear that she was an ‘indoor’ type of person. She wore extravagant dresses and always looked as though she was dressed to impress. She used very proper English; she came across as an obedient and well mannered young adult. Jack was the complete opposite of Rose, which is what made their story so remarkable. Jack wore brown, burlap type clothing, and he put little effort into his appearance. He was dirty, rugged, and careless, living life one day at a time. He spoke with sloppy slang English and he was very straight forward, with a lack of manners.

                The best part about this movie is how different these two people are, yet they are the same. Rose is struggling with her prestigious life and she yearns for adventure. Jack lives a life of adventure and he is ready to settle down. Despite their differences, they find what they are looking for within one another. They complete each other and bring out the best in one another. Rose is able to cut loose while Jack is able to feel secure that she will be there for him. They both have to deal with their own issues, but when they are together, nothing else matters.

                The music used in this film really helps to depict and convey the mood of each scene. The music really touched me and contributed to what and how I felt throughout the film. The most moving music was towards the end of the film, when the titanic is slowly sinking into the dark unknown of the sea. It’s slow and sad, just like the tragedy unfolding in front of us. This music made me feel what I imagined the passengers were feeling. I was sad, scared, unsure, and worried about what would happen next. I felt the heart break of the mother lying her children to sleep. I felt the love the old couple had for one another as they laid in bed to go to sleep. I was an emotional wreck during these scenes, but they were so powerful that I couldn’t fight back my own emotions. I could see their pain and I felt their sadness.

                I really love this film, everything about it. It’s a powerful love story that is touching and moving. It allowed me to reflect on how lucky I am to have all of the people I love in my life. I can’t imagine losing them, and this film helped me reflect on how grateful I am for all of them. It’s an eye opener to what is important in life, the people we love.

Memento

Memento

                I really enjoyed this film, it is somewhat complicated and I found it hard to follow, but the storyline was interesting and very twisted. I would recommend that people watch this film more than once to make sure they don’t miss anything. This movie really kept my attention by building suspense within the story. One thing would happen, then the movie would add more to the story, and I would be left asking myself what happened to lead up to the action. How the film was produced and put together also kept my attention, I didn’t want to stop watching it because I was afraid that I might miss some vital information. This movie kept me thinking the whole time, I thought I knew what was what and then the story would change and so would my perspective on the characters. It was difficult for me to follow it at first, but as the story built up, I was able to better understand everything.

                This film was assembled in a very non traditional way. The film began at the end and worked its way to the beginning and within the main storyline there was an additional story, so it was two stories in one. The scenes were scattered, the film began with the end scene, and then would flash back to a different scene, which lead up to it and built on to the previous scene. The first scene began with a slow motion, rewind, and then it played back forwards in regular time. The sequence of the film was in a backwards fashion, which gave me a sense of how it would be trying to live with a disorder such as Lenny’s. One thing would happen and then I would question why and how did it happen, so I felt confused, as I can image Lenny did.

                This film also used flashbacks, from present time to the past. The movie would flash from the current scene to a scene that would have preceded it. This made the story play out in an unorganized fashion. Each scene transitioned into a different scene by completely swapping over, using an inside/out type of editing. During the main story, the film would also flash to a different story, which helped to describe who Lenny was compared to who he is now. It also told of a man, with a similar condition to Lenny’s, but towards the conclusion of the film I was left wondering if the story of this other man was Lenny or if it was truly Sammy Jankins. So even after the film was over, I still had questions that were left unanswered.

                The main storyline was filmed in color, while the second story was filmed in black and white. The black and white scenes needed to be in a different context to keep them seperate from the main story. The use of black and white also helped to distinguish the mood of the second story. The lack of color coincided with the lack of emotion Lenny had towards Sammy and his wife. It contributed to the feelings Lenny had after his accident, such as paranoia, detachment from reality, and loss of his own emotions. The lack of color symbolized Lenny in both his present and past state of health.

                Sound is a part of film that is vastly overlooked, but it is an addition that helps to create the whole film. The main storyline was through an objective point of view, I was watching what was happening from an outsiders view. The black and white was the opposite; it was filmed partially from a subjective point of view. I heard what Lenny was thinking as he sat in the hotel room, confused about his current state. This sound technique gave me an inside look at how Lenny rationalized and thought through unfamiliar situations. It helped to intensify the type of feelings that someone would experience with a memory loss condition. It also made the scenes more intimate, I was not only feeling Lenny’s fear, but could also hear and understand it.

                Overall, I really enjoyed this film and how different it was compared to traditional films. It was amazing to see that a story can be told backwards and out of context, but still be interesting and keep my attention. I really enjoyed some of the things that Lenny said because they were deep, meaningful, and very true. He said that just because he couldn’t remember what he has done doesn’t mean that his actions are meaningless. He also said the memory is unreliable and it’s a guide, but not a permanent record. Both of these quotes stuck with me for different reasons. First, no one should feel that their actions are meaningless despite how minuscule they may be. He couldn’t remember, but he felt as though his actions gave meaning to his life and drove him to live. The second quote I like because it is so true. I know that my memory is unreliable and I don’t think that anyone can deny this.

Gangs of New York

Gangs of New York

            I didn’t really care for this film, but it was not the worst movie I have ever seen. I thought that the film was going to be about current day gangs, but to my surprise the film was based on the original gangs of New York. I thought that the acting was done well and I did like the characters, but the storyline was not one that I particularly cared for. I also felt as though the film began to rush things towards the end of the film so they were able to get everything in. When the film felt rushed, I lost interest because everything was happening and coming to a conclusion so fast. However, the characters were very interesting and I really enjoyed how the characters were all intermingled. I also enjoyed the historic part of the film and the realness of how different things were in the past compared to present day.

            The beginning of the film was a gruesome battle between two opposing gangs for control over the Five Points. In this scene, young Amsterdam witnessed the death of his father Priest Vallon by the Butcher. It was interesting to see how battles were conducted in the past, they were very brutal and they seemed to be a certain death sentence. This was a sad scene, watching a child experience and see the death of his loving and respectable father. However, this scene set the mood of the film and it gave me a sense of who the characters were. It also determined what the conflict would be throughout the remainder of the film.

            The character relationships were complicated in this film. When Amsterdam returned to the Five Points, after years of juvenile detention, several followers of the outlawed Dead Rabbits recognized him. One character in particular, Johnny, remembered him and took him in. Amsterdam quickly became one of the Butchers main men, which made Johnny angry and resentful towards him. This was unexpected because the Butcher killed Amsterdam’s father, so throughout the film I was waiting for Amsterdam to turn against the Butcher and avenge his father’s death. Amsterdam also met Jenny through Johnny. Jenny was one of my favorite characters because she was a beautiful woman with a crooked and shady life. Amsterdam swayed Jenny, which created more conflict between him and Johnny. After Johnny felt completely miss used and unimportant, he turned against Amsterdam and revealed his true identity to the Butcher. I anticipated that this would eventually happen.

            Amsterdam lived a double life, a life of truth and a life of fraud. He was true to himself and returned to the Five Points to continue his father’s legacy. He was also a fraud, he worked for his father’s killer and he turned against his own people. I know that Amsterdam befriended the Butcher so he trusted him and he could get close to him, but I don’t understand how he could do it without revealing his true intentions. This proved that Amsterdam was a very strong willed individual, with an abundance of self control. Their relationship with one another was very strange. Amsterdam came to the Five Points with hatred in his heart, but after being with the Butcher for a while, he began to look up to him and enjoy his company. However, this quickly changed as the movie progressed.

            There was some symbolism in this film, at the start; Priest Vallon taught Amsterdam that the blood stays on the blade. This quote can be interpreted to symbolize the conflict within this movie. I think that this quote means, even after killing somebody and cleaning your blade, their blood is forever stained on your knife. After killing some one, you will still carry their death with you and cleaning of their blood does not mean that you are spared from remembering them. I think this quote was very significant in the film because it could be related to several of the characters.

            Overall, this film was not my favorite. It had its high points and its low points like other films, but it just wasn’t a story that I enjoyed. The best part of the film was the character relationships and the setting of the scenes. It gave me a new perspective on how New York came to be. It also enlightened me to how hostile and unfair life was in the past.

Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire

This film was not what I expected it to be, at all. I thought it would be about a poor kid going from rags to riches, but it was much deeper than that. This film was very touching and an eye opener to how different people’s lives are, depending on where they were raised. I really enjoyed this film because of the underlying storyline. Jamal and Salim were two young boys who were forced to raise themselves, in the slums of a third world country. These boys went through so many trials and tribulations, which shaped them into the people they were. Jamal chose to live a respectable life, while his brother, Salim, gave into the pressures of crime and injustice. My favorite part of this film was the relationship between Jamal and Latika because it was so unique. Despite all odds these two were able to find each other, several times, and continue their relationship. Jamal was dedicated to finding Latika throughout the film, which proved that his only true interest was to be with his childhood friend and love. It was a very sad, yet sweet, story of these kids’ struggles.

            At the beginning of the film I was slightly confused because Jamal was being beaten and I wasn’t sure why. However, as the film progressed and the story built up, everything became clear. This entire film was constructed in a backwards fashion. The film began at the end of Jamal’s million dollar win and it progressed to the beginning of the show and the beginning of his life. Each scene included a flashback to Jamal’s earlier years before the show, which helped to build the story, create the characters, and the characters relationships. Each flashback was significant to Jamal’s life leading up to his million dollar win. The flashbacks were also crucial to how Jamal was able to win the show.

            While Jamal was playing the game, he used previous memories of his past to help answer each question correctly, except the final question. The experiences that Jamal had been through, during his childhood, had ingrained specific memories into his mind. For every question that was asked, Jamal was able to recall a moment in his life which pertained to the question and the answer. Unfortunately, most of Jamal’s memories were negative, but I think that maybe why he was able to remember them so clearly.

The last question, for the million dollar win, was the only question that Jamal was unsure about. The show asked ‘who is the third musketeer’. Well, Jamal and his brother, Salim, considered themselves the two musketeers and Jamal wanted Latika to be the third, but they never knew the name of the third musketeer. I think that this question symbolized how Latika and Jamal would be united, once again, and they would finally be the complete trio. During this question Jamal used a life line, phone a friend and Latika answered. Through this call, Jamal was able to hear that Latika was safe and searching for him. The only thing that Jamal cared about was Latika and being with her. After he heard her voice, he randomly guessed the answer and unexpectedly got it right. This truly showed what Jamal’s intentions where and what he cared about in life.

Jamal, Salim, and Latika had very complex and interesting relationships with one another. Jamal and Salim were dedicated to one another and they had a strong brotherly bond. They were there for each other throughout the film, but they both developed into very different people. Jamal was interested in the well being of all of them and Salim more was interested in protecting himself. Salim was selfish and self centered, which was the complete opposite of Jamal. Jamal had a very strong connection with Latika and he felt obligated to care for her. Jamal took Latika under his wing and Salim resented him for that. Salim felt threatened by Latika and Jamal’s relationship, which eventually lead to him turning against his own blood. The relationship between Jamal and Latika endured despite all of the problems they encountered. They both lead separate lives, but they soon reunited and I think that their relationship was destined to be.

Overall, I really enjoyed every aspect of this film. It incorporated so many different emotions that are common within all of our lives, which made it easy to make a connection to one of the characters or one of their experiences. We were able to see hostility, happiness, sadness, disappointment, fright, madness, regret, love and many other emotions. These are things that we have all experienced at one time or another, so while watching the film, I felt that I was able to understand how the characters were feeling based on my own experiences. This film was much more than the title makes it sound and I would definitely recommend this film to everyone.

Napoleon Dynamite

Napoleon Dynamite

                I love this film; it’s funny in its own strange way. Napoleon is my favorite; he’s a nerdy kid with a dysfunctional family and that’s what makes him relateable. In high school, I wasn’t popular; I focused on being an individual and being unique, just like Napoleon. I also had to deal with a lot of resentment from other kids from being different, but I think that the trials of high school helped shape me into the person I am today. This film brought back memories of when I was in high school, with the ‘popular’ kids and the average kids and all the conflicts that accompany high school. I think that everyone should be able to relate to one of the characters in this film because it depicts a multitude of personalities. I also enjoyed this film because it was very comedic. The funny parts were somewhat lame and ridiculous, but that’s what I enjoyed. It was funny without being over bearing.

                In the film Napoleon and Pedro are dealing with an external conflict, against all odds they are determined to win the class presidency. Napoleon and Pedro are trying to break the cycle, which is the popular kids winning, and they attempt this with some interesting tactics. This conflict within the film is a common issue that all kids deal with throughout high school. There will always be a struggle between the popular kids and the ‘weird’ kids. I think that Napoleon is also dealing with some personal internal conflicts. I think that throughout the film, Napoleon is trying to find himself and his identity. Napoleon feels as though he doesn’t fit in with his family and he struggles with that, but it’s obvious throughout the film that he builds and finds his inner confidence and becomes his own person.

                All of the characters in this film are created to be unique and to depict a certain type of person. The characters are created through appearance, their dialogue, their actions and reactions. Napoleon Dynamite is the nerdy kid that no one knows or pays any attention to. He wears big glasses, has a messy red afro, he has buck teeth, he slouches, he’s monotone, and he wears old clothing, like his famous moon boots. When he speaks he sounds uneducated, monotone, and he has a slight lisp. He acts uncoordinated and clumsy. All of these aspects help shape his character. I think this makes the characters more interesting and more complex. Napoleon is not the only character that is put together to encompass the whole package of who he is meant to be, but all the characters are depicted this way.

                This film has the stereotypical high school sub groups. Summer and her friends are the popular kids. They think they own the school, are more important, and privileged then the other kids. There are the outcasts, like Napoleon, who are invisible to everyone else and just get through high school by staying out of the way and keeping to themselves, while enduring the embarrassment of being the brunt of the popular kid’s jokes and pranks. Then there are the ethnical kids, like Pedro, who are shunned for being different and are ridiculed for their beliefs and practices. All of the kids in the film are what you would expect to see at any high school.

                This film had some ironic scenes and character relationships. First, it was ironic that Kip, a middle aged, unemployed, scrawny computer nerd became involved with a voluptuous black female. Not only did they build an online relationship, but they met in person and unexpectedly things went well. Kip slowly transformed into a wannabe gangster, but this new identity made him comfortable with himself and it strengthened his relationship with LaFawnduh. It was also ironic that Napoleon and Pedro were able to win the class presidency. Against all odds, Napoleon’s solo dance number won over his peers and lead to his and Pedro’s victory.

                I would not change a thing about this film, it was funny and it kept my attention. It allowed me to reflect on my past high school experiences, the good and the bad. It also allowed me to compare and contrast myself to Napoleon. I really enjoyed every aspect of this film, from the characters to the plot.  My favorite part was the ending because it was a happy one. I enjoy happy endings because it gives me hope that we can all overcome the trials set before us. If we are dedicated like Napoleon, then we too can win our fights.